Cigarette filter

ABSTRACT

A tobacco product filter includes a storage mineral.

The present invention relates to a tobacco product filter, in particulara filter for a cigarette.

Tobacco products have been smoked for a long time in almost all culturalcircles. In addition to the pleasure associated therewith, it has beenshown, however that the enjoyment of tobacco is hazardous to health. Inparticular, it has been shown that the risk of suffering from cancer issignificantly increased in smokers.

In order to reduce the components of the tobacco which are harmful tohealth when inhaling, filters are used which are either firmly connectedto the tobacco product (e.g. cigarette filters) or which are broughtinto the flow of smoke in each case when smoking (e.g. filters forpipes). These filters are intended to retain carcinogenic tar productson the one hand and the drug “nicotine” on the other hand (neurotoxin).Despite continuous improvement of filter materials, it is not possibleto retain all harmful substances. However, this is also because harmfulsubstances are indeed intended to be retained but the smoking enjoymentmust not be too severely restricted. The flavour or the nicotine uptakeshould not be reduced in such a manner that the smoker loses thepleasurable sensation. Many smokers even shorten filters by breakingthem off to thus achieve a stronger flavour.

Filters made of cellulose have been used for cigarettes. This isconverted to cellulose triacetate in an expensive chemical process. Theacetate flakes, the intermediate product, are converted into a spindlesolution with the aid of acetone. This is spun using special spinningmachines into long threads which have a quite specific cross-section.Very many threads are combined into a continuous strip which ultimatelyserves as the basis for the filter for the cigarette industry.

Particularly in so-called “light” cigarettes, the filter is providedwith tiny holes. The smoke should thus be diluted with air so that itcontains less tar and nicotine.

In the meantime it has even been disputed whether filter cigarettes areless harmful than filterless cigarettes. During inhalation, extremelyfine fibres are transported into the lungs which increase the number ofinhaled substances. At the same time, the higher resistance duringsuction leads to a longer suction phase and therefore to deeperinhalation than in the case of filterless cigarettes.

The object of the present invention is now to provide an improved filterfor tobacco products. The filter should on the one hand retain harmfulsubstances but on the other hand should influence the smoking enjoymentas little as possible. The tobacco should not be modified, in particularthe carbon-dependent harmful substances should be eliminated as far aspossible.

The object is achieved by a tobacco product filter comprising a storagemineral.

In particular, natural or synthetic zeolite can be considered as storagemineral. Added to this are inter alia, zeolite varieties such asscolecite and natrolite. Natural zeolites used in large quantities areclinoptilolite and heulandite. Zeolite describes a loose group ofchemically very complex silicate minerals. Zeolite has a variablecolour, white, yellow, brown or pink are represented very frequently,colourless variants also exist. It is important that depending on thetype, the mineral can store up to about 40% of its dry weight of water.

Zeolites consist of a microporous skeleton structure comprising AlO₄-and SiO₄-tetrahedra. In this case, aluminium and silicon atoms areinterlinked by oxygen atoms. Depending on the type of structure, astructure of uniform pores and/or channels is thus obtained, in whichsubstances can be absorbed. Zeolites can therefore be used as sieves, asit were, since only molecules absorb in the pores which have a smallerkinetic diameter than the pore openings of the zeolite structure.Zeolites therefore come under the group of molecular sieves.

According to the invention, modified zeolites can also be used. Zeolitescan be modified by ion exchange or chemical treatments in such a mannerthat an increase in the catalytic effect and/or an increase in thethermal or chemical resistance is achieved.

Zeolite also has an excellent effect as an ion exchanger, it can notonly store harmful substances but decompose them by way of ion exchangeand break them down into harmless base substances.

The tobacco product filter made of zeolite according to the inventionadvantageously has a grain size of about 1 mm to 6 mm, thus allowing apleasant flow of air and smoke through the tobacco product filter.

According to the invention, the advantageous properties or capabilitiesof the storage mineral can be increased if the hydrophilic minerals arehydrophobized, that is, the minerals are coated in such a manner thatthey are not moistened by the smoke or during the smoking.

Such a hydrophobic coating is advantageously carried out using asubstance which remains taste-free under stress or under heat and maynot give off any harmful substances which can be harmful for their part.According to the invention, a polydimethylsiloxane is thereforeadvantageously used. The zeolite present in corresponding grain size issprayed and mixed with polydimethylsiloxane, the fraction ofpolydimethylsiloxane in the total mass being about 2 to 10%,advantageously about 5%. Polydimethylsiloxane is also known under thedesignations dimeticone or simeticone. This additive is stable fromminus 240° C. to 1600° C. and does not decay so that it is extremelysuitable for use in a tobacco product filter. According to theinvention, an emulsion of water and polydimethylsiloxane can also beused, the tobacco product filter then contains about 2-20%, preferably10% of this emulsion. The fraction of water to polydimethylsiloxane inthe emulsion is about 2:1, preferably 35% of polydimethylsiloxane.

The tobacco product filter according to the invention can be used as aseparate filter, for example, for pipes, but can also be inserteddirectly into a ready-made cigarette. In the latter case, it has beenfound that it is particularly favourable if about 500 mg of the tobaccoproduct filter according to the invention is disposed between thehitherto usual filter, for example, made of cellulose, and the tobacco.The best effects were achieved when the tobacco product filter accordingto the invention is inserted between two parts of the conventionalcellulose filter. The conventional cellulose filter is therefore dividedand a tobacco product filter according to the invention is insertedtherebetween. Theoretically, however, a mouth-side arrangement at theend of the cellulose filter is also possible. In principle, the tobaccoproduct filter according to the invention can also be used without afurther filter, that is instead of the conventional cellulose filter.

The positive effect of the tobacco product filter according to theinvention in a cigarette can be further enhanced according to theinvention if in the region of the tobacco product filter according tothe invention or shortly before this, small circular incisions are madein the outer cladding of the cigarette, which allow an auxiliary airflow which dilutes the smoke and cools the tobacco product filter.

The efficiency of the tobacco product filter according to the inventionhas been demonstrated in numerous expert's reports. For example, it hasbeen shown that a conventional cellulose filter in a smoke zone of 1.5to 4.5 cm, measured from the free end of the cigarette in the directionof the filter, allows about 460 mg/m³ of substances to pass whilst thetobacco product filter with auxiliary air incisions according to theinvention only allows 65 mg/m³ to pass. Nicotine is not completelyfiltered in this case since this would too severely restrict theenjoyment.

The tobacco product filter can also be bound with cement or a similarmaterial and so-to-speak used as a block at any point in the smoke andair flow.

The invention is explained in detail with reference to the followingfigures. The figures are only to be understood as an example and are notintended to restrict the scope of protection of the invention to these.

FIG. 1 shows the structure of a commercially available cigarette,

FIG. 2 shows the structure of a cigarette having a tobacco productfilter according to the invention,

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of a cigarette having a tobacco productfilter according to the invention and

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of a cigarette having a tobacco productfilter.

FIGS. 1 to 4 explain the invention with reference to a commerciallyavailable filter cigarette 20 as an example. FIG. 1 shows such a filtercigarette 20, consisting of a tobacco section 22 adjoining a filter 24.The length relationships shown are only to be understood as an example.The filter 24 shown usually consists of a cellulose material.

FIG. 2 shows a first possibility of an arrangement of a tobacco productfilter 26 according to the invention. In the exemplary embodiment shown,the tobacco product filter 26 is integrated in the filter 24 in such amanner that the total length of the original filter 24 is substantiallyretained. This means that a part of the original filter 24 is replacedby the tobacco product filter 26, the tobacco product filter 26 beingdisposed between two sections of the original filter 24. The tobaccoproduct filter 26 is preferably formed from a natural or syntheticzeolite.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment according to the invention in which incisions28 in the wrapping of the filter 24 allow a supply of fresh air whensucking in the smoke. The incisions 28 shown can also have differentshapes and directions, what is important is that a supply of fresh airis possible which also cools the tobacco product filter 26.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a filter cigarette 20 according tothe invention with a tobacco product filter 26 in which this is disposeddirectly adjacent to the tobacco section 22, that is located between thefilter 24 and the tobacco section 22. In this embodiment, the length ofthe original filter 24 can be retained but it can also be reduced by thelength of the tobacco product filter 26.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiments described but rathercomprises all variants having the same effect. The tobacco productfilter 26 can be used in particular in filter cigarettes 20 but it canalso be correspondingly modified and be suitable for other tobaccoproducts.

In addition to zeolite, the tobacco product filter 26 can also containan emulsion of polydimethylsiloxane, the fraction of the emulsion in thetotal mass of the tobacco product filter 26 being about 2 to 20%. Thelength of a conventional filter cigarette 20 is about 82 mm, the lengthof the filter 24 being about 21 mm and the length of the tobacco section22 being accordingly about 61 mm.

1. A tobacco product filter comprising a storage mineral.
 2. The tobaccoproduct filter according to claim 1, wherein the storage mineral has agrain size of about 1 to 6 mm.
 3. The tobacco product filter accordingto claim 1, wherein the storage mineral is formed by zeolite.
 4. Thetobacco product filter according to claim 3, wherein the zeolite iscoated with a hydrophobically acting layer.
 5. The tobacco productfilter according to claim 1, wherein the tobacco product filter containspolydimethylsiloxane.
 6. The tobacco product filter according to claim1, wherein the tobacco product filter contains an emulsion ofpolydimethylsiloxane and water.
 7. (canceled)
 8. (canceled) 9.(canceled)
 10. The tobacco product filter according to claim 2, whereinthe storage mineral is formed by zeolite.
 11. The tobacco product filteraccording to claim 2, wherein the tobacco product filter contains atleast one of (a) polydimethylsiloxane and (b) an emulsion ofpolydimethylsiloxane and water.
 12. The tobacco product filter accordingto claim 3, wherein the tobacco product filter contains at least one of(a) polydimethylsiloxane and (b) an emulsion of polydimethylsiloxane andwater.
 13. The tobacco product filter according to claim 4, wherein thetobacco product filter contains at least one of (a) polydimethylsiloxaneand (b) an emulsion of polydimethylsiloxane and water.
 14. A filtercigarette comprising a tobacco product filter comprising a storagemineral.
 15. The filter cigarette according to claim 14, wherein thetobacco product filter is integrated in a filter made of cellulose. 16.The filter cigarette according to claim 14, wherein in a region of thetobacco product filter there are provided incisions that allow a supplyof fresh air when sucking in smoke.
 17. The filter cigarette accordingto claim 15, wherein in a region of the tobacco product filter there areprovided incisions that allow a supply of fresh air when sucking insmoke.
 18. The filter cigarette according to claim 14, wherein thestorage mineral has a grain size of about 1 to 6 mm.
 19. The filtercigarette according to claim 14, wherein the storage mineral is formedby zeolite.
 20. The filter cigarette according to claim 19, wherein thezeolite is coated with a hydrophobically acting layer.
 21. The filtercigarette according to claim 14, wherein the tobacco product filtercontains one of (a) polydimethylsiloxane and (b) an emulsion ofpolydimethylsiloxane and water.